View full sizeThe Associated PressKenya's David Rudisha set a world record of 1:40.91 in the men's 800 meters on Thursday.

LONDON -- With 80,000 fans roaring, David Rudisha sped into history Thursday at Olympic Stadium.

The 23-year-old Kenyan dragged the world along with him.

Rudisha broke his own world record and shattered the 1:41 barrier with a wire-to-wire victory in the Olympic 800 meters.

He won in 1 minute, 40.91 seconds, taking control of the race from the start. Nobody could catch him, although it wasn't for a lack of effort. The runners in pursuit set thee national records. Seven of the eight set personal records, including Oregon Track Club/Eugene's Nick Symmonds.

Running from the back, Symmonds made a late charge on the home straight for fifth place in 1:42.95, smashing the PR of 1:43.76 that he brought with him to London.

When the times flashed on the stadium video board there was an audible gasp from the fans. The athletes were stunned, too.

"I thought going into this, if I can just do what I did at trials, that will be good for a medal," Symmonds said, referring to his victory at the U.S. Olympic trials at Hayward Field. "I thought 1:43.9 would be good for a medal.

"That would have been last place today."

Rudisha didn't come in with a sit-and-kick strategy. He went for broke from the start.

"I have waited for this moment for a long time," Rudisha said. "To come here and get a world record is unbelievable. I had no doubt about winning."

When he came to the line on a warm, English evening, winning wasn't enough.

"The weather was beautiful," Rudisha said. "So I decided to go for it."

Rudisha had to share the spotlight with Usain Bolt, who won the 200 in 19.32 to sweep the gold medals in the short sprints for a second consecutive Olympics, and Ashton Eaton, who won gold in the decathlon.

Bolt has the 200 world record of 19.19, and he didn't threaten that on Thursday. He didn't need to.

He won decisively, leading a Jamaican sweep in which Yohan Blake was second in 19.44 and Warren Weir third in 19.84.

Wallace Spearmon of the U.S. ran a season's best 19.90, but didn't make the medals stand.

Bolt's dominance put to rest any lingering suspicion that his competitors are catching up.

Blake had beaten Bolt in both the 100 and 200 in the Jamaican Olympic trials. But on the big stage, Bolt ruled.

"After the trials, a lot of people doubted me," Bolt said. "To me it was great to come out and show the world."

Bolt had some fun with media afterward, telling reporters that he wanted to race Rudisha over 400 meters. The implication was that he needs a new challenge.

"I've said for three years I wanted to become a legend," he said. "I've done it."

If Bolt was impressive, Rudisha was spectacular while leading the field to the best 800 meters in track and field history.

Team USA's Duane Solomon, who finished fourth in 1:42.82, and Symmonds became second and third on the all-time U.S. list. Only 1992 Olympic bronze medalist Johnny Gray, who has the U.S. record of 1:42.60, has run faster.

"I said I'll never, ever run 1:42," Symmonds said. "I'm just physically not capable of it. So I proved myself wrong.

"I can't really be disappointed to bring a PR of -- what? -- almost a second in the final of the Olympics Championships. I know I tried everything I could to get in there for a medal."

Symmonds' race strategy was to let the leaders go, run from in back, kick hard, and pick off as many runners as he could on the home straight.

The thought was he might sneak into the top three from behind.

The plan might have worked if Rudisha hadn't had the field flying from the get-go.

"One hand, I'm crushed and devastated because I don't have a medal," Symmonds said. "On the other hand, I'm like, what have I just done here? I've done something that I personally thought I would never, ever be able to humanly do. So I'm left with these weird, mixed emotions.

"I need a good pint right now."

Notes: U.S. triple jumpers Christian Taylor and Will Claye went 1-2 in the triple jump, with Taylor coming back from fouls on his first two attempts to win at 58 feet, 5 1/4 inches. ... OTC/Eugene's Geena Gall did not make it out of the 800 semifinals.